ChemistryResearchProjectsAvailabletoUndergraduates

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Updated2009

AnalyticalChemistry
GaryL.Long.Environmentalanalyticalchemistryandatomicspectrometry.
Chemicalspeciationofheavymetalionusingsupportedliquidmembranes.
Transportoftracemetalsingroundwater.
Determinationofheavymetalsinsoilsusingchelateassistedextraction.
JohnR.Morris.Surfaceanalysisandreactivity.
Ultrahighvacuumtechniquesappliedtoreactivityofsurfaces.
Destructionofchemicalsonmetaloxidefilmsandnanoparticles.
Reactivityonselfassembledmonolayersasamodelforpulmonaryinterfaces.
Dr.MorrispreferstoworkwithstudentswhohavecompletedPhysicalChemistry.
BrianM.Tissue.Analyticalandmaterialschemistry.
Studies of luminescent nanomaterials to understand their fundamental optical properties and to
exploretheirusesinfunctionaldevicessuchasphosphors,lasers,amplifiers,andanalyticalsensors.
Current projects include preparation and surface modification of nanoparticles, selfassembly of
luminescentnanoparticlesinfunctionalstructures,andenhancementandquenchingmechanismsof
nanoparticleluminescence.
Dr.TissuepreferstoworkwithstudentswhohavecompletedAnalyticalChemistry.

InorganicChemistry
KarenJ.Brewer.Synthesisofmixedmetallightabsorbersorcatalyticcenters.
Applicationstosolarenergyconversionorelectrocatalysis.
Design and synthesis of mixedmetal transition metal complexes with applications to molecular
devices,anticanceragents,catalysisandphotochemicalenergystorage.
Particular emphasis is placed on probing the properties of monometallic synthons upon their
incorporationintosupramolecularassemblies.
Dr.BrewerpreferstoworkwithstudentswhohavecompletedGeneralChemistry.
BrianE.Hanson.Hydrothermalsynthesisofmetalorganicframeworks.
Synthesisofnewmaterials,structuralchemistry,andapplicationsincatalysis.
JosephS.Merola.Organometallicchemistry.
Designandsynthesisofinorganicandorganometalliccomplexesfortheselectivetransformationof
organicmolecules.
Dr.Merolapreferstoworkwithstudentswithaneagernesstolearn.
GordonT.Yee.Inorganicandmaterialschemistry.
Design,synthesisandcharacterizationofmoleculebasedmagneticmaterials.
Work involves synthetic organic and inorganic chemistry, SQUID magnetometry and mathematical
modelingofdata.
Dr.Yeepreferstoworkwithstudentswhohavecompletedgeneralchemistry.

Organic,Biological,andPolymerChemistry
PaulA.Deck.Fluorinatedaromaticcompoundsandpolymers.
Fluoroaromaticchemistryandcyclopentadienechemistry.
FundamentalstudiesoftheDielsAlderreaction.
Synthesisandreactionsoffluorinatedorganicmolecules,includingpolymers.
FeliciaA.Etzkorn.Chemicalbiologyandmedicinalchemistry.
Design,synthesisandevaluationofbiologicallyactivemolecules.Themoleculesareusedasprobes
ofthecellcycle(mitosis)andhavepotentialcancertherapeuticvalue.
Dr. Etzkorn requires that all students have completed Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry
Laboratory.CompletionoftheSynTechlaboratoryisalsohighlydesired.
Sheinterviewsallcandidatesindividually;emailherabriefresumeandatranscript.Undergraduate
researchersarerequiredtoattendresearchgroupmeetings.
RichardD.Gandour.Chemicalbiologyandmoleculararchitecture.
Designandsynthesisofmultiuse,multiheadedamphiphiles.
SynthesisandphysicochemicalmeasurementsofantiHIVandantifungaltopicalmicrobicides.
HarryW.Gibson.Rotaxaneandpolyrotaxanes,selfassembly,macrocyclesynthesis,andpolymerization.
Design,synthesisandselfassemblyof"supramolecularpolymers"
Chemicalmodificationoffullerenesformedicalimaging/therapeuticsanddeviceapplications
EnantioanddiastereoselectivesynthesisusingReissertcompounds.
The work focuses on organic synthesis and hostguest interactions; We employ several important
analytical techniques to study our systems: NMR, mass spectrometry, Xray crystallography and
viscometry.
DavidG.I.Kingston.Chemistryofbiologicallyactivenaturalproducts.
Synthesisofthesidechainandanalogsofthesidechainoftheanticanceragenttaxol.
Isolationandstructuralelucidationofnewnaturalproductswithanticanceractivity.
Professor Kingston prefers to work with students who have completed organic chemistry and (for
thesyntheticprojects)OrganicSynTechLaboratory.
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Organic,Biological,andPolymerChemistry,continued.
TimothyE.Long.Synthesisandcharacterizationofnewpolymersandmonomers.
Synthesis of new monomers for subsequent polymerization and the study of polymerization
processes(mainlyradical,anionic,andstepgrowth).
Synthesis of new polymers for semiconductor fabrication, polyurethane adhesives, living anionic
polymerization,controlledradicalpolymerization,liquidcrystallinepolymers,polyesters,gasbarrier
polymersandcarbohydratecontainingpolymers.
Dr. Long requires that all students have completed Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry
Laboratory.CompletionoftheSynTechlaboratoryisalsohighlydesired.
Undergraduate researchers would be required to attend group research meetings which typically
are scheduled on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. Interested students should make an
appointmentwithDr.Longtodiscussindividualinterestsandcareerplans.
JamesE.McGrath.Synthesisandcharacterizationofmacromolecules.
Anionic (organolithium) homo, block, and random copolymerization of hydrocarbon, polar vinyl,
andcyclicsiloxanemonomers
Synthesis of poly(aryl ether) sulfones, ketones, and related polymers via nucleophilic aromatic
substitution
Sulfonateandcarboxylateioncontainingpolymers
Microphaseandmacrophaseseparationsinblockcopolymersandphysicalblends
Epoxy,elastomers,polyurethanes,biomaterials,andsurfacestructuresoforganosiloxaneandother
blockcopolymers
Dr.McGrath preferstoworkwithstudentswhohavecompleted organiclectureandlab,SynTech,
andwhocanattendweeklygroupmeetingsSaturdayfrom9AMto1PM.
JamesM.Tanko.Studiesofthemechanismoffreeradicalandradicalionprocesses.
Organicelectrochemistry,applicationofradicalrearrangementstoorganicsynthesis.Dr.Tankoprefers
toworkwithstudentswhohavecompletedoneyeareachoforganicandphysicalchemistry,andhe
interviewsallcandidatesindividually.
WebsterL.Santos.Bioorganicchemistryandchemicalbiology.
Design,synthesisandevaluationofmolecularentitiesthattargetspecificproteinsormRNAof
proteinsrelatedtodiseasestatessuchasMalaria,influenza,cancerandneurodegeneration.
InterestedstudentsmustsendtranscriptsandrecommendationletterstoDr.Santos.Studentsmust
havetimetoworkinlabandattendallgroupmeetings.

PhysicalChemistry
T.DanielCrawford.Quantumchemistry.
Developmentandapplicationofquantummechanicalmodelsforcomputingstructural,
spectroscopic,andthermodynamicpropertiesofmolecules.
ResearchfocusesonhighaccuracyabinitiomethodsforUV/visiblespectra,NMRchemical
shieldings,andopticalrotationforlargemolecules.
Dr.Crawfordpreferstoworkwithstudentswhohavecompletedafullyearofphysicalchemistry,or
whohaveextensivebackgroundswithcomputerprogrammingand/orphysics.
HarryC.Dorn.Newcarbonbasedmaterials;magneticresonancespectroscopy.
Studyofnewcarbonbasedmaterialsincludingfullerenes("Buckyballs"),nanotubes,andendohedral
metallofullerenes. Our laboratory has developed the expertise to prepare, purify, and characterize
various carbon fullerene, endohedral metallofullerene, and nanotube samples. In the US, we are
leaders especially in the area of separation of endohedral metallofullerenes. We presently have
activecollaborationswith6othergroupsatVirginiaTechand20otherlaboratoriesworldwide.
Spectroscopicstudiesutilizingnuclearmagneticresonance(NMR),electronparamagneticresonance
(EPR), and dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) to understand molecular structure and chemical
reactivity.
HerveMarand.Polymerphysicalchemistryandcrystallization.
Polymer crystallization kinetics, polymer crystal melting, morphology of semicrystalline polymers,
structurepropertycorrelations,physicalagingofpolymers.
Use of calorimetry, dilatometry, scattering of light and xrays, microscopies, rheology and infrared
spectroscopytechniquesareusedinasynergisticmannertoprobetheevolutionofthermodynamic,
morphologicalandrelaxationalbehaviorofpolymersduringtheircrystallizationprocess.
Dr. Marand prefers to work with students who have passed successfully the first semester of
PhysicalChemistryandwhohaveagenuineinterestinmaterials.
DiegoTroya.Computationalchemistry.
Weusecuttingedgecomputingtechnologytolearnaboutchemicalreactionsthatareverydifficult
to study in the lab. In particular, we combine very accurate electronic structure calculations with
moleculardynamicssimulationstostudyhowgasesinteractwithorganicsurfacesandpolymers.
Ourgoalistounderstandtheprocesswherebyradicalscanoxidizeanddegradepolymericsurfaces.
Ourfocusisonthedamagingcollisionsofradicalspresentinspaceatmospherewiththesurfacesof
theInternationalSpaceStation,theHubbleTelescope,andothersatellitesandspacecraftdesigned
forinterplanetarytravel.
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PhysicalChemistry,continued
EdwardF.Valeev.Theoreticalchemistry.
I am seeking students who want to develop advanced theoretical methods and apply them to
predict properties of interests to chemists and engineers, such as: the energetics and kinetics of
chemicalreactions,rateofchargeconductanceinorganicelectronics,etc.
Mygroup'sresearchemphasizestheoreticalmodelswhichuseonlyfundamentalphysicalprinciples
andnootherassumptions.
No previous experience is necessary. However, Dr. Valeev prefers students who have completed a
fullyearofphysicalchemistryandwhoareinterestedinphysics,math,andcomputerprogramming.